LAHORE: Sugar mills owners have sought Punjab government’s help for exporting the outstanding stocks to at least neighbouring Afghanistan.

A representative delegation of the sugar industry led by Zaka Ashraf called on Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nouman Langrial and apprised him of the issues being faced by the sector.

They said the industry had already surplus stocks of sugar, while production of the sweetener this year would be over 5.90m metric tons. They requested Mr Langrial to help them convince the federal government that the sugar industry be allowed to export surplus stocks to Afghanistan. The measure was necessary to help the industry to start crushing season in time, they said.

The minister asked agriculture department Secretary Wasif Khurshid to write a letter to the federal government in this regard. He hoped the millers would start the cane crushing season in time so that the growers didn’t face losses due to weight loss of the produce. He said the growers should be paid as per support price and delay in the payment would not be tolerated.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2018